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Other Formats
Commissioned on the occasion of the 7th Centenary of St. Anthony, Settecento anni is one of the documentaries produced by 22 dicembre, at the same time as RosselliniÕs The Iron Age. It confirms OlmiÕs and his colleaguesÕ intention to cross the boundaries of filmmaking and explore the television language. It was first broadcasted on December 18th 1963.
- Dopo secoli, Italia, 1964, BetaSP, 23'
As And There Came a ManÕs prologue to RoncalliÕs biography, Dopo secoli is an edited documentary that combines archive images on Paul VI's pilgrimage to the Holy Land. It was first broadcasted on March 25th 1964.
- Giovani - Le delusioni, Itay, 1967, Beta, 18'
Divided into chapters: Nino il fiorano, Bomba vale a dire, Franco e Antonio gli scienziati, Qualcosa di Niki, and Il ragazzo di Gigliola. Watched after 40 years, these sketches Ð which lightly and perfectly reflect OlmiÕs filmmaking style Ð clearly report the delay experienced by Italy in perceiving the great cultural and ideological movements that crossed Europe at the time. It was broadcasted on March 22nd 1967.
- Giovani - Piccoli discorsi, Italy, 1967, Beta, 44'
Here is one of OlmiÕs programmes dedicated to young people, which included the following chapters: Dal diario di Cesare Cornoldi, Roberto Salvatore Benito Sergio, La minigonna, and La regina. Some accused Olmi of being a conservative, as he had chosen not to describe the great ideological turmoil, but rather young peopleÕs light emotions, such as teenage love or their first day of school. Broadcasted on April 13th 1967.
- Piccoli discorsi, Italia, 1967, BetaSP, 43'
Here is one of OlmiÕs programmes dedicated to young people, which included the following chapters: Dal diario di Cesare Cornoldi, Roberto Salvatore Benito Sergio, La minigonna, and La regina. Some accused Olmi of being a conservative, as he had chosen not to describe the great ideological turmoil, but rather young peopleÕs light emotions, such as teenage love or their first day of school. Broadcasted on April 13th 1967.
- La galleria: cuore e memorie di Milano, Italia, 1967, BetaSP, 43'
In OlmiÕs films, Milan often plays a leading role, like a hardly depictable character that a film could make unforgettable by potraying its changes. It is a tribute to one of the cityÕs symbols, Piazza DuomoÕs gallery, where Olmi had already set his first short film, the Leopardian Dialogo. The text is by Dino Buzzati and the animations by Bruno Bozzetto. Broadcast on September 15th 1967.
- Le radici della libertà, di Ermanno Olmi e Corrado Stajano, Italia, 1973, BetaSP, 94'
Being part of the programme cycle Italia Saluta, the Alcide De Gasperi miniseries was broadcasted in November 1974 and dedicated to the Trento-born statesman. The idea underlying its narration is similar to the one in And There Came a Man, with actor Sergio Fantoni Òimpersonating Alcide De GasperiÕs character without putting himself in his shoes (he will do that only at the end of the third episode)Ó. (from Radio Corriere TV, 1974). Between the late 1960Õs and the early 1970Õs, writer Corrado Stajano and Olmi co-wrote several television enquiries. On Aprile 25th 1972, RAI broadcasted this documentary about Don Giovanni MinzoniÕs key figure, which alternates reconstruction moments with testimonies, and has the length of a feature film.
- Nascita di una formazione partigiana, di Ermanno Olmi e Corrado Stajano, Italia, 1973, BetaSP, 62'
Inside the series Tragico e glorioso 43, here is another one of the key moments from Italy's recent past, reconstructed by Olmi and Stajano. Just as RAI wanted and needed to use its own language to express the countryÕs memory. Broadcasted on September 20th 1973.
- Apocalypsis cum figuris, Italia, 1979, Dvd, 60'
This is a precious video record of Jerzi GrotowkiÕs play of the same name, which seems to be the only official video portraying him at work. Ermanno Olmi received the authorization from the Polish director himself. After laying forgotten in the archives for many years, it has recently been rediscovered and screened. Olmi asserts that it cannot be watched without a previous adequate introduction, because it is neither a Òfilmed playÓ, nor a Òbehind-the-scenes shootingÓ.
- Milano '83, Italy, 1983, 65'
Even if he moved to the countryside near Vicenza, Olmi is still one of the major Òimages translatorsÓ of the Milanese metropolis and its rapid changes. Milano Õ83 is a brief update of the city featured in Il posto, narrated in the space of a day, from sunrise to sunset, in which Mike OldfieldÕs electronic Ð thus intangible and synthetic Ð background noises represent the contradiction of an author that is Milan, though he does not experience the cityÕs daily routine anymore.
- Artigiani veneti, Italy,
Artigiani veneti, one of the best works made in the Ipotesi Cinema lab, is a meticulous narration of a place that does not belong to OlmiÕs roots, yet has become like home to him. Shot in film format, it was broadcasted by Rai Tre in 1986. Cinematography is by Maurizio Zaccaro, while Olmi has edited the film along with his son, Fabio.
Other Formats
Influenced by Rossellini's theories on TV language, Ermanno Olmi made many TV films. From the Sixties, when he collaborated with the likes of Corrado Stajano, he has been producing reports, in-depth news, and educational programmes. His is a tireless for the "perfect" language for the "magic box". This section includes a selection of these materials, some of which are extremely rare.
- 700 anni, Italia, 1963, BetaSP, 44'Commissioned on the occasion of the 7th Centenary of St. Anthony, Settecento anni is one of the documentaries produced by 22 dicembre, at the same time as RosselliniÕs The Iron Age. It confirms OlmiÕs and his colleaguesÕ intention to cross the boundaries of filmmaking and explore the television language. It was first broadcasted on December 18th 1963.
- Dopo secoli, Italia, 1964, BetaSP, 23'
As And There Came a ManÕs prologue to RoncalliÕs biography, Dopo secoli is an edited documentary that combines archive images on Paul VI's pilgrimage to the Holy Land. It was first broadcasted on March 25th 1964.
- Giovani - Le delusioni, Itay, 1967, Beta, 18'
Divided into chapters: Nino il fiorano, Bomba vale a dire, Franco e Antonio gli scienziati, Qualcosa di Niki, and Il ragazzo di Gigliola. Watched after 40 years, these sketches Ð which lightly and perfectly reflect OlmiÕs filmmaking style Ð clearly report the delay experienced by Italy in perceiving the great cultural and ideological movements that crossed Europe at the time. It was broadcasted on March 22nd 1967.
- Giovani - Piccoli discorsi, Italy, 1967, Beta, 44'
Here is one of OlmiÕs programmes dedicated to young people, which included the following chapters: Dal diario di Cesare Cornoldi, Roberto Salvatore Benito Sergio, La minigonna, and La regina. Some accused Olmi of being a conservative, as he had chosen not to describe the great ideological turmoil, but rather young peopleÕs light emotions, such as teenage love or their first day of school. Broadcasted on April 13th 1967.
- Piccoli discorsi, Italia, 1967, BetaSP, 43'
Here is one of OlmiÕs programmes dedicated to young people, which included the following chapters: Dal diario di Cesare Cornoldi, Roberto Salvatore Benito Sergio, La minigonna, and La regina. Some accused Olmi of being a conservative, as he had chosen not to describe the great ideological turmoil, but rather young peopleÕs light emotions, such as teenage love or their first day of school. Broadcasted on April 13th 1967.
- La galleria: cuore e memorie di Milano, Italia, 1967, BetaSP, 43'
In OlmiÕs films, Milan often plays a leading role, like a hardly depictable character that a film could make unforgettable by potraying its changes. It is a tribute to one of the cityÕs symbols, Piazza DuomoÕs gallery, where Olmi had already set his first short film, the Leopardian Dialogo. The text is by Dino Buzzati and the animations by Bruno Bozzetto. Broadcast on September 15th 1967.
- Le radici della libertà, di Ermanno Olmi e Corrado Stajano, Italia, 1973, BetaSP, 94'
Being part of the programme cycle Italia Saluta, the Alcide De Gasperi miniseries was broadcasted in November 1974 and dedicated to the Trento-born statesman. The idea underlying its narration is similar to the one in And There Came a Man, with actor Sergio Fantoni Òimpersonating Alcide De GasperiÕs character without putting himself in his shoes (he will do that only at the end of the third episode)Ó. (from Radio Corriere TV, 1974). Between the late 1960Õs and the early 1970Õs, writer Corrado Stajano and Olmi co-wrote several television enquiries. On Aprile 25th 1972, RAI broadcasted this documentary about Don Giovanni MinzoniÕs key figure, which alternates reconstruction moments with testimonies, and has the length of a feature film.
- Nascita di una formazione partigiana, di Ermanno Olmi e Corrado Stajano, Italia, 1973, BetaSP, 62'
Inside the series Tragico e glorioso 43, here is another one of the key moments from Italy's recent past, reconstructed by Olmi and Stajano. Just as RAI wanted and needed to use its own language to express the countryÕs memory. Broadcasted on September 20th 1973.
- Apocalypsis cum figuris, Italia, 1979, Dvd, 60'
This is a precious video record of Jerzi GrotowkiÕs play of the same name, which seems to be the only official video portraying him at work. Ermanno Olmi received the authorization from the Polish director himself. After laying forgotten in the archives for many years, it has recently been rediscovered and screened. Olmi asserts that it cannot be watched without a previous adequate introduction, because it is neither a Òfilmed playÓ, nor a Òbehind-the-scenes shootingÓ.
- Milano '83, Italy, 1983, 65'
Even if he moved to the countryside near Vicenza, Olmi is still one of the major Òimages translatorsÓ of the Milanese metropolis and its rapid changes. Milano Õ83 is a brief update of the city featured in Il posto, narrated in the space of a day, from sunrise to sunset, in which Mike OldfieldÕs electronic Ð thus intangible and synthetic Ð background noises represent the contradiction of an author that is Milan, though he does not experience the cityÕs daily routine anymore.
- Artigiani veneti, Italy,
Artigiani veneti, one of the best works made in the Ipotesi Cinema lab, is a meticulous narration of a place that does not belong to OlmiÕs roots, yet has become like home to him. Shot in film format, it was broadcasted by Rai Tre in 1986. Cinematography is by Maurizio Zaccaro, while Olmi has edited the film along with his son, Fabio.
